Step 1: Rinse the baingan (eggplant or aubergine) in water. Pat dry with a kitchen napkin. Apply some oil all over and

Step 2: keep it for roasting on an open flame. You can also grill the baingan or roast in the oven. But then you won't get

Step 3: the smoky flavor of the baingan. Keep the eggplant turning after a 2 to 3 minutes on the flame, so that its evenly

Step 4: cooked. You could also embed some garlic cloves in the baingan and then roast it.

Step 5: 2. Roast the aubergine till its completely cooked and tender. With a knife check the doneness. The knife should slid

Step 6: easily in aubergines without any resistance. Remove the baingan and immerse in a bowl of water till it cools

Step 7: 3. You can also do the dhungar technique of infusing charcoal smoky flavor in the baingan. This is an optional step.

Step 8: Use natural charcoal for this method. Heat a small piece of charcoal on flame till it becomes smoking hot and red.

Step 9: 4. Make small cuts on the baingan with a knife. Place the red hot charcoal in the same plate where the roasted

Step 10: aubergine is kept. Add a few drops of oil on the charcoal. The charcoal would begin to smoke.

Step 11: 5. As soon as smoke begins to release from the charcoal, cover the entire plate tightly with a large bowl. Allow the

Step 12: charcoal smoke to get infused for 1 to 2 minutes. The more you do, the more smoky the baingan bharta will

Step 13: become. I just keep for a minute. Alternatively, you can also do this dhungar method once the baingan bharta is

Step 14: cooked, just like the way we do for Dal Tadka.

Step 15: 6. Peel the skin from the roasted and smoked eggplant.

Step 16: 7. Chop the cooked eggplant finely or you can even mash it.

Step 17: 8. In a kadai or pan, heat oil. Then add finely chopped onions and garlic.

Step 18: 9. Saute the onions till translucent. Don't brown them.

Step 19: 10. Add chopped green chilies and saute for a minute.

Step 20: 11. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix it well.

Step 21: 12. Bhuno (saute) the tomatoes till the oil starts separating from the mixture.

Step 22: 13. Now add the red chili powder. Stir and mix well.

Step 23: 14. Add the chopped cooked baingan.

Step 24: 15. Stir and mix the chopped baingan very well with the onion­tomato masala mixture.

Step 25: 16. Season with salt. Stir and saute for some more 4 to 5 minutes more.

Step 26: 17. Finally stir in the coriander leaves with the baingan bharta or garnish it with them. Serve Baingan Bharta with

Step 27: phulkas, rotis or chapatis. It goes well even with bread, toasted or grilled bread and plain rice or jeera rice.